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Psalm 67:1
[Bible Verses]Psalm 67:1 is the opening verse of Psalm 67. It asks for God's mercy and blessing and for His face to shine upon His people. The verse echoes the priestly blessing in Numbers and begins the psalm's movement toward seeking that blessing for all peoples. For this reason it is frequently cited in discussions of blessing and mission.
Prayer in Gethsemane
[Bible]The prayer in Gethsemane is the prayer Jesus offered in Gethsemane, at the foot of the Mount of Olives, on the night before his arrest, in which he said, "not as I will, but as thou wilt." The event marks the beginning of the Passion narrative.
Parable of the Minas
[Bible]The Parable of the Minas is a parable of Jesus found in Luke 19:11-27. It tells of a nobleman who goes to a far country to receive a kingdom, entrusts one mina to each of ten servants, and on his return settles accounts with them.
1 Samuel 15:23-24
[Bible Verses]In this passage the prophet Samuel tells King Saul, who had disobeyed God's command, that rebellion is comparable to divination and idolatry and that Saul has been rejected from the kingship. Saul then confesses his sin, saying that he feared the people. The passage is frequently cited in discussions of obedience and repentance.
Parable of the Prodigal Son
[Bible]The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a parable of Jesus recorded in Luke 15:11-32. It tells of a father who welcomes home his younger son after the son has squandered his share of the estate. It is also known as the parable of the "returning prodigal."
1 Samuel 9:2
[Bible Verses]First Samuel 9:2 introduces Saul, who would become Israel's first king, and describes his handsome appearance and great height. Together with 1 Samuel 16:7, which contrasts outward appearance with the heart, it is frequently cited in discussions of the qualifications for leadership.
Ezekiel 34:11–16
[Bible Verses]Ezekiel 34:11–16 is a passage in which God promises that he himself will be the shepherd who seeks out, gathers, and cares for his scattered sheep. It is frequently cited in sermons on Jesus as the "good shepherd" and on the responsibilities of pastors.
Psalm 46:1–3
[Bible Verses]Psalm 46:1–3 is the first stanza of Psalm 46. It confesses that because God is his people's refuge and strength, they will not fear even though the earth, the mountains, and the sea are shaken. The passage is often cited as a word of comfort in times of disaster and crisis. It is known as the basis of Martin Luther's hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God."
Parable of the Talents
[Bible]The Parable of the Talents is a parable of Jesus found in Matthew 25:14-30. Before going on a journey, a master entrusts his property to his servants. On his return, he settles accounts with each of them over how they used what they had been given.
The Rich Man and Lazarus
[Bible]The Rich Man and Lazarus is a story told by Jesus in Luke 16:19–31. A rich man who lived in luxury and Lazarus, a beggar who lay at his gate, find their situations reversed after death. The story addresses wealth, care for one's neighbor, repentance, and the word of God.
Psalm 119:97–104
[Bible Verses]The thirteenth stanza of Psalm 119, in which the psalmist meditates on God's word all day long and confesses that it makes him wiser than his enemies, his teachers, and the aged, and that it is sweeter than honey. The passage is often cited to encourage meditation on Scripture and the practice of quiet time.
Parable of the Wedding Feast
[Bible]The Parable of the Wedding Feast is a parable of Jesus found in Matthew 22:1-14. A king invites guests to his son's wedding feast, but they refuse; he then has people gathered from the highways to fill the feast. Luke 14 contains a similar "Parable of the Great Banquet."
Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen
[Bible]The Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen is a parable of Jesus in which the tenants entrusted with a vineyard kill the servants sent by the owner and finally his son as well. It appears in Matthew, Mark, and Luke and is read as a warning to the leaders who rejected Jesus.
Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
[Bible]The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector is a parable of Jesus found in Luke 18:9–14. A Pharisee boasts of his own righteousness, while a tax collector pleads for mercy, and it is the tax collector who goes home justified. The parable teaches humility and the proper attitude in prayer.
Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
[Bible]The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats is Jesus' teaching in Matthew 25:31-46, in which the returning Son of Man judges all nations, separating them as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. Through this scene Jesus teaches that whatever is done for the least of his brethren is done for him.
Parable of the Unjust Judge
[Bible]A parable of Jesus recorded in Luke 18:1–8. Even an unjust judge grants the plea of a persistent widow, and God will all the more avenge his elect. The parable teaches that believers ought always to pray and not lose heart.
Psalm 125:1-2
[Bible Verses]A passage declaring that those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, and that God surrounds His people forever as the mountains surround Jerusalem. It is frequently cited as a classic text on the believer's security and God's protection.
The Good Shepherd
[Bible]The Good Shepherd is a figurative expression Jesus used of himself in John 10. It portrays the true leader as a shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep, in contrast to the hireling and the thief.
Healing of the Man Born Blind
[Bible]The healing of the man born blind is a miracle in which Jesus restored the sight of a man blind from birth by anointing his eyes with clay and sending him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. It is recorded in John 9.
Birthright
[Bible]The birthright is the firstborn son's right of precedence in inheritance and in representing the family, received from his father. It is best known from Genesis, where Esau sold his birthright to his younger brother Jacob for a bowl of stew.